Top five youngest players to win 10+ ATP titles on clay in Open Era

Bjorn Borg is the youngest to win 10+ ATP titles.

Clay courts have long been the ultimate test of a tennis player’s endurance, patience, and tactical skill. Although many legends have mastered the red clay over the years, there are only a few who have dominated this surface right from a young age.

Winning 10 or more ATP clay-court titles before turning 23 is a rare feat that signals not just early promise, but true greatness on one of the sport’s most demanding stages. On that note, let’s take a look at the top five youngest players to win 10+ ATP titles on clay in the Open Era.

5. Carlos Alcaraz – 22 years

Carlos Alcaraz became the fifth youngest player in the Open Era to win 10 ATP clay titles, achieving this feat just after his 22nd birthday in 2025. Alcaraz’s clay-court resume already includes the Madrid and Barcelona titles, as well as the French Open, which he won for the first time in 2024.

However, the Spaniard completed the clay crown by beating local hope Jannik Sinner in the Italian Open 2025 final. Alcaraz’s most notable triumph came at Roland Garros, where he became the youngest champion since Nadal, defeating Alexander Zverev in the final. Following the footsteps of his icon, Carlos Alcaraz is quickly asserting himself as a force to be reckoned with on this surface.

4. Kent Carlsson – 20 years, 7 months

Kent Carlsson, a Swedish left-hander, was a clay-court specialist whose career was brief but brilliant due to injuries. Carlsson achieved the feat of 10 clay titles at a very young age, with all but one of his 9 ATP singles titles coming on clay before the age of 21.

He was especially dominant in 1987, winning five clay tournaments, including Barcelona and Båstad. Carlsson’s most notable triumph was his 1987 victory at the German Open in Hamburg, where he defeated Swedish legend Mats Wilander.

Carlsson reached a career best of No. 6 in the world and finished his career with an impressive 90% success rate on clay.

3. Rafael Nadal – 19 years, 10 months

The “King of Clay” Rafael Nadal, won 10 ATP titles on clay at just 19 years of age, a testament to his extraordinary dominance on this surface. Nadal’s early clay-court conquests included consecutive wins at Monte Carlo, Barcelona, and Rome, and his first French Open title in 2005, where he defeated Mariano Puerta in the final.

This victory marked the beginning of an unprecedented era as the Spaniard would go on to win a record 14 French Open titles and more than 60 clay-court trophies overall. His relentless topspin, athleticism, and fighting spirit have made him the greatest clay-court player in tennis history.

2. Mats Wilander – 19 years, 10 months

Mats Wilander burst onto the scene as a teenager, winning the French Open in 1982 at just 17. He quickly established himself as a force on clay, reaching 10 ATP clay titles before turning 20. Wilander’s early clay-court haul included not only Roland Garros but also titles in Barcelona, Geneva, and Palermo.

His most notable triumph remains his maiden French Open victory, where he defeated Guillermo Vilas in a five-set final. Wilander would go on to win three French Opens and 20 titles on clay in total, earning a reputation as one of the most tactically astute and consistent clay-courters of his generation.

1. Bjorn Borg – 19 years, 8 months

Bjorn Borg was a teenage phenomenon on clay, becoming the youngest player in the Open Era to win 10 ATP clay titles. By the age of 20, Borg had already collected a string of trophies at major clay events, including the Italian Open and Monte Carlo.

The Swedish legend recorded his most memorable triumph at the French Open, where he won his first Roland Garros title at just 18 in 1974, defeating Manuel Orantes in the final.

Borg’s relentless baseline play and ice-cool demeanor made him nearly unbeatable on clay in his prime. He finished his career with six French Open titles and 30 clay-court trophies, setting the standard for clay dominance before the Nadal era.

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